Container for foods or the like



April 12, 1966 J. 5. ZEPPENFELD ETAL CONTAINER FOR FOODS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 12, 1964 5 2 2 Ma 2 3 I o a i .HUWX 4 12 B a a w T: W u 1\ n b 1 6 3 2 M l!. B 3 4 3 1L 0 FIG.

INVENTORS JOHN S. ZEPPENFELD BY JAMES R. JENKS United States Patent Oflice 3,245,565 Patented Apr. 12, 1966 3,245,565 CONTAINER FOR FOODS OR THE LIKE John S. Zeppenfeld and James R. Jenks, Erie, Pa., assignors to Marian Development, Inc., Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 403,319 Claims. (Cl. 21513) This invention relates to containers of the type sometimes referred to as thermos bottles which are in the form of an insulated jug designed to hold liquid or semi-liquid in the hot or cold state, or any combination thereof.

The device disclosed is uniquely designed with a multiple of compartments in a single outer container. One purpose of the invention is to enable the user to carry a plurality of liquid or semi-liquid foods or beverages in separate compartments in the same container and remove some of the material from one or the other compartment while keeping the other compartment securely closed; 1 z

The outer cap for the container becomes a drinking cup when inverted.- In addition to the drinking cup there is a detachable drinking spout which is used by inserting the flange of the spout into the neck of the one compartment or the other to permit the user to drink directly from one of the separate compartments.

The stoppers are connected by a flexible strap. The stoppers each have an outwardly directed flange. On one flange is supported a knob and the other an opening. The one stopper can be swung over so that the knob is received in the opening.

-The stopper .is removable for cleaning and the two halves of it may be made of different colors so that the user may know which compartment contains one particular material and which compartment contains the other. The liner may be made of a double wall construction of the familiar vacuum type construction and it may be inade 'of glass, plastic, or any other suitable substance. -It alsocan be made of metal or the like.

The two compartments are integrally connected together andthe removable bottom of the container is formed so that an angular flange extends upwardly and supports the bottom :of the intercontainers while a diametrically extending flange holds them from movement towards each other.

' It is' accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved container for foods.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a container having a plurality of insulated compartments which are supported in a compact outer container.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved insulated container.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the container according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the container with the water drinking top removed.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the container.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the stoppers.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the drinking spout according to the invention.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing wherein in several views similar numbers refer to similar parts. The container is shown having the outer container member 10 which is generally cylindrical in shape and externally threaded at its upper and lower end.

The outer container 10 is tapered slightly from the bottom to the top and it receives the threaded part of the drinking cup 25 on the inwardly tapering rim 19. The outer container may be made of metal, plastics or a combination of these with a covering of leather or some other similar material to give a pleasant appearance. The outer surface may be provided with buttons or snaps for adapting a shoulder strap 29 which may be also made of plastics, leather or similar materials.

The cup 25 may be used as a cup for drinking purposes, and for holding the liquids confined within the inner containers 11 and 12.

The inner containers 11 and 12 will be disposed in a side by side relationship as shown in FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view. The inner containers 11 and 12 willhave insulated double walls 13 from which the air has been evacuated and will keep foods in the usual vacuum relationship. These inner containers 11 and 12 will be provided with a flat lateral surface 33 and a hemispherical lateral surface 32. The flat lateral surfaces 33 of the inner containers 11 and 12 are connected together with an insulated wall connection 14. The flat lateral surface 33 and the hemispherical lateral surface 32 will be connected together with a flat bottom 34 which is hemispherical in shape thus forming the container for holding a liquid. The hemispherical lateral surface 32 will be inclined inwardly at the top forming the container opening 18. The outside of the inner container surfaces will form a cylindrical shape which will conform to the shape of the inside of the outer container 10.

The top of the inner containers 11 and 12 will be provided with top closures or stoppers 21. The top closures 21 each will have a hemispherical side and a flat side and the flat sides will be provided with a flexiblehinge 22. The sides of the top closures will conform to the shape of the opening 18 and when forced into the opening they will seal the opening from leaking. The top of-the closures will be provided with a top rim or flange 27 for the purpose of lifting the closure easily. The closure 21 will have a hole or latch opening 26 in the top rim 27 to accommodate the snap member 28. When one side of the closure is pulled up it will snap into the opening in the other thus keeping it out of the way for pouring or drinking.

This type of latch also will eliminate the loss of the top closure 21. The top closure 21 may be made of plastic, rubber, or some other suitable material which can be molded to the shape desired and which also will form a suitable seal. The two top closures may be made of different colors so that the user may know which compartment contains a certain food.

The base of the container will be a threaded closure 20 in the shape of a circle having a diametrically extending rib 16 on its inside surface. The diametrically eX- tending rib 16 will have a curved upper surface which will fit between the bases of the flat bottom surfaces 34, thus giving support to the inner containers. The threaded closure 20 also will be provided with an annular rib 15 which will also give support to the base of the inner containers and an annular flange 23 which will be threaded to attach to the threads on the bottom of the outer container 10. The threaded closure may be also provided with a downwardly extending flange and diametrical rib to give additional support to the base. The diametrical rib may be provided with a recess for identification purposes as shown in FIG. 4.

The top opening 18 also will be provided with a drinking spout which is used by inserting the base of the spout 30 into the neck 18 of one compartment or the other to permit the user to drink directly from one of the separate compartments. The spout 30 will be also provided with a spout connecting strap 35 which may be snapped onto the knob on the stopper for storage. The spout 30 will be of sufficient size to fit into the opening provided by the drinking cup 25.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but it is understood that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A container for foods or the like comprising a hollow generally cylindrical body terminating at its upper end in an inwardly tapering rim defining an opening therein, an open bottom, a threaded closure for said open bottom, two inner containers, said inner containers each having inner and outer walls concentric to each other and spaced from each other and forming double walls for said inner containers,

the inner walls of said containers being integrally attached to each other and the outer walls being integrally attached to each other said inner containers each having a flat side disposed in juxtaposition to the other, and a hemi-cylindrical side disposed remote from said flat side and said flat side and said hemi-cylindrical side together forming a generally hemi-cylindrical container having an outside surface of a shape similar to the inside surface of said outer container.

each said inner container having an opening in its upper end,

said openings each being flat on the sides adjacent the other,

said threaded closure having a diametrically extending rib on its inside surface,

said rib having a curved upper surface engaging the outer walls of said inner containers.

2. A container for foods or the like comprising a hollow generally cylindrical outer body terminating at its upper end in an inwardly tapering rim defining an opening therein,

an open bottom,

a threaded closure for said open bottom,

two inner containers,

said inner containers each having a flat side disposed in juxtaposition to each other,

and a hemi-cylindrical side disposed remote from said flat side and said flat side and said hemi-cylindrical side together forming a generally hemi-cylindrical container having an outside surface of a shape similar to the inside surface of the outer container,

said inner containers each having the said flat side thereof integrally fixed to the container adjacent thereto,

each said inner container having an opening in its upper end,

said openings each being flat on the sides adjacent the other, a top closure being received in each said opening in said inner containers, said top closures each having a hemi-cylindrical shaped side and a flat side, said flat sides having a flexible hinge connecting member connecting them together. 3. A container for foods comprising an outer container having a hollow generally cylindrical body having an externally threaded lower end and an inwardly tapering rim at its upper end, a threaded closure, said threaded closure having an upwardly directed annular flange on its upper side threadably receiving said threaded lower end, an annular rib on said threaded closure concentric to said flanges, a diametrically extending rib on the upper side of said closure, two inner containers, each said inner container having an outside generally hemi-cylindrical lateral surface and a generally flat lateral surface and a generally flat bottom connected together to form a container, said hemi-cylindrical side tapering inward and engaging the underside of said inwardly tapering rim, said generally flat sides being integrally connected together at the upper end, the bottoms of said inner containers resting on said annular rib and said diametrically extending rib engaging the lower .end of said generally. flat lateral surface, said inner containers each having an inner and an outer wall spaced from each. other, said inner containers each terminating at their upper end in an opening, each said opening being hemi-cylindrical on one side and fiat on the other, top closures for said openings, each said top closure being generally hemi-cylindrical on one side and fiat on the other and adapted to fit into said openings in the upper ends of said containers, a flexible member hingedly connecting said top closures together, said top closures having a top rim, a latch opening in one said top rim, a snap member on the other said rim, said top closures being adapted to be swung together on said flexible member and said snap to be received in said opening. 4. The container recited in claim 3 wherein a shoulder carrying strap is fixed to said outside of said body.

5. The container recited in claim 3 wherein a drinking spout is provided to fit in said openings in said inner container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1960 Palermo 215-13 9/1962 Sambursky 2064 

1. A CONTAINER FOR FOODS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A HOLLOW GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL BODY TERMINATING AT ITS UPPER END IN AN INWARDLY TAPERING RIM DEFINING AN OPENING THEREIN, AN OPEN BOTTOM, A THREADED CLOSURE FOR SAID OPEN BOTTOM. TWO INNER CONTAINERS, SAID INNER CONTAINERS EACH HAVING INNER AND OUTER WALLS CONCENTRIC TO EACH OTHER AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND FORMING DOUBLE WALLS FOR SAID INNER CONTAINERS, THE INNER WALLS OF SAID CONTAINERS BEING INTEGRALLY ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER AND THE OUTER WALLS BEING INTEGRALLY ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER SAID INNER CONTAINERS EACH HAVING A FLAT SIDE DISPOSED IN JUXTAPOSITION TO THE OTHER, AND A HEMI-CYLINDRICAL SIDE DISPOSED REMOTE FROM SAID FLAT SIDE AND SAID FLAT SIDE AND SAID HEMI-CYLINDRICAL SIDE TOGETHER FORMING A GENERALLY HEMI-CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER HAVING AN OUTSIDE SURFACE OF A SHAPE SIMILAR TO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF SAID OUTER CONTAINER. EACH SAID INNER CONTAINER HAVING AN OPENING IN ITS UPPER END, SAID OPENINGS EACH BEING FLAT ON THE SIDES ADJACENT THE OTHER, SAID THREADED CLOSURE HAVING A DIAMETRICALLY EXTENDING RIB ON ITS INSIDE SURFACE, SAID RIB HAVING A CURVED UPPER SURFACE ENGAGING THE OUTER WALLS OF SAID INNER CONTAINERS. 